BLOG MEET

AS USUAL, IT WAS A BLAST, Roberta X HAS ALL THE DETAILS.

THE DAY STARTED WITH FUEL -
BLACK CHEVY TRUCK AND THE ROAD:

ALWAYS HARD TO LEAVE THE COMFORT OF A SMALL TOWN FOR THE BIG CITY:


BUT IT'S TIME TO MEET ALL THE KEWL KIDS IN TOWN:


BRIGID CAPTURES THE GROUP WITH HER CAMERA. IN ADDITION TO THE USUAL BLOGGER GANG, WE HAD ROBD AND MR. AND MRS. K, (on the left), READERS AND LOCAL SHOOTERS, LOKI and and MAD SAINT JACK CAME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN. THE TURONISTAN AWARD FOR THE BLOGGER THAT TRAVELED THE FARTHEST. It's a large china mug with a pattern of three red stripes, the widest marked in silver with the traditional Turnonistani symbols of friendship and hospitality: six "bullet hole" symbols, three each side of a single stalk of wheat. Some others that traveled got little concealable squirt guns from Roberta.
WHEN GEEKS GET TOGETHER. WE HAVE TOOLS FOR EVERYTHING.

BRIGID GOES FOR A QUICK SHOT AT AHAB WITH THE SQUIRT GUN.

SMALL BOAR FUN

It started last weekend. My friends and I were scouting around and spotted this place, Locally Grown Gardens, a cool little farm market operated by Indy chef Ron Harris. It is in what appears to be an old gas station, completely revamped and spotlessly clean. Check out the website, lots of interesting food ideas and recipes using local fare. What caught our eye as we drove past and almost missed it, were the books in the window. Turned out to be a great old collection of cookbooks.There was produce and the best apple cider I've ever had in my life. Served up icy cold, in cups and sippy straws to go. Great if you've been biking or hiking the Monon Trail. Lots of produce, all locally grown, at decent prices. Baked goods, their own bread, rolls and noodles and fruit.

Then, we saw the sign. The words Hog Roast to hungry shooters is like ringing the dinner bell.

So today we went back. After a little detour.

I like my new Ruger Mark III. I like it a lot.


The trigger was nice, and the groupings were decent for the first day with it, my first .22. It was purchased for the sole purpose of additional, inexpensive range fun. A more formal and detailed range report Monday, for now it's off to the Hog Roast. It was served barbecue style, on slices of their delicious white bread (of which I brought home a loaf). Then covered with Chef Ron’s homemade barbecue sauce, Carolina style: sweet and spicy. Indiana hog farmer Greg Miller was on hand to slice the hog and share some piggy wisdom.

There was honeygold apple pie as well. Don't blame me, this time, I didn't make it, but boy do I wish I'd brought more than a slice home.

Then - time to walk it off with a wander through Broad Ripple. Across the street was this cool hippie music store, in which we found a plethora of good used movies, some two for $5. A girl can't have too many copies of Gladiator, you know. And I replaced a worn CD of mine with a new one - Led Zeppelin IV.
Finally, some porch time at the cottage with a frosty glass of. . . yes. . . how appropriate.


Lastly, a trip to Fresh Market for just a few things, including something new - Bacon Chocolate. Yes indeed folks, Mo's Bacon Bar with applewood smoked bacon, alder wood smoked salt and deep milk chocolate. Incredible. $7 for a three ounce bar and they can't keep it in stock.

Too soon it was time to pack up and go home, while saying goodbye to all. As "Black Dog" played loudly in my big, black Chevy 4 x 4, munching on a piece of bacon infused chocolate, I was cautioned, leaving the artsy part of the city, with a wry grin and "careful you don't hit a hippie".

Isn't life just grand.

Champagne Balsamic Chicken

Champagne Balsamic Chicken - It's not the most photogenic dish in the world, but it was really good.  I made it with a champagne balsamic vinegar I picked up at Artisano's  last week and hadn't tried yet. For those that don't live in Indiana, they ship, and if you order something get a 1 or 2 ounce sample of the applewood smoked salt, ghost pepper salt (hot!) and espresso sugar.

It was pretty simple, cooked on the stovetop in my favorite red French Oven (you can use any big, sturdy pot.

In the pot mix: 

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup champagne balsamic viniger (or any good quality balsamic)
3/4 cup plus 3 Tablespoons chicken stock (or canned broth)
3 generous teaspoons of jarred minced garlic
2 dashes of sea salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 heaping teaspoon mixed dried herbs (I used a mixture of chives, basil, tarragon, chervil and a tiny bit of dill, but just tarragon or basil would work).
a couple grinds from the pepper mill

Add 3-4 skinless chicken breasts and bring to and maintain, a low boil.  Cook for 15 minutes, flip chicken pieces over then reduce heat slightly and cook at a gentle simmer until internal temp is 165 F. on a meat thermometer, (around 30-40 minutes for the pieces I had), keeping lid OFF so that the liquid is reduced to better caramlize the chicken pieces, still leaving enough for you to drizzle on other things. 

When the chicken is about 160 degrees F., remove the bay leaf, lower the heat slighty and put some bread in the oven.  What's good?   Popovers, always good on a cold, blustery day.

The popovers were 1/4 of the cost of packaged frozen rolls and much tastier. Between  gust fronts they went in, as those are a little more temperamental cooking wise, but they were worth it, tall, buttery custard like texture inside, flaky layers on the outside.

Dinner was easy and good, the chicken staying really moist and the garlicy champagne balsamic sauce, absolutely wonderful drizzled over the sweet potatoes (there was also broccoli).

Thai Drunken Noodles

1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce (Red Boat is the best, avoid "Squid" brand fish sauce, which tastes as enticing as the name even if you could buy a case of it here for next to nothing).
1 1/2 teaspoons roasted red chile paste (or a dash of Sriracha)
3/4 teaspoon soy sauce sweetened with 1/4 teaspoon molasses
1/2 teaspoon honey
a pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into slivers
3/4 cup assorted veggies (mine had thinly sliced carrots, some green beans and a few water chestnuts,  nuked until softened so they didn't take too long in the pan)
1/2 large jalapeño, seeded (depending on how spicy you like it) and  finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs whisked
1/3 pound thinly sliced beef, chicken or pork
1/2 of an onion thinly sliced
4 cups thick sliced rice noodles, soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes to soften.
1 cup fresh Thai basil, loosely chopped

In a bowl, mix stock, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chili paste, soy sauce and honey, set aside.

In a wok or tall, high sided skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of oil over medium high heat.  Add the red pepper, jalapeño, and garlic and stir fry until fragrant, about 2 minute, then push it up along the edge where it's cooler. Add the egg mixture and scramble, breaking it up into small bits, pushing it up to the edge while it's still a little "wet".   In pan, cook meat and onion until the onion is softened and meat is partially cooked (1-2 minutes) adding a dash of red pepper if you like it nice and spicy.  Add the noodles and veggies and stir-fry until  it and the meat is cooked through (4-5 minutes) adding a couple tablespoons of water if the noodles are crisping up too much, Add the sauce and stir until incorporated,

A PERFECT SATURDAY

After breakfast off to my friends at our usual spot at the range. I brought just the P220 today, but had a chance to play with some other toys including a Ruger Mark II 22/45. A very nice shooting 22. There was revolver action and we pretty much shot until our happy fingers had blisters on them.

I tried some tactical practice. Shooting with just one hand, and the left one to boot (I'm right handed). Harder than it seems with a .45 acp, even at about 7 yards.

First shot was spot on, the next two were a bit high. These target backs are Andre the Giant sized, so the center was set right where the heart would be on about a 6 foot male. As my arm got tired (which was surprisingly quickly) the rest were lower and to the right. But assuming I'm shooting one handed and off handed because I was winged in the good arm, it would work. The first shot should have put him down anyway with that load.
Then off to Rick's Cafe for lunch. Everyone was eating outside and we quickly saw why.


I had this giant wedge of ultra crisp lettuce covered with blue cheese dressing. And to round out the meal, a Blue Moon Pale Ale. My friends had togorashi seared sashimi tuna, and somehow some peppered deep fried onion rings with ranch and mango-jalapeno glaze for dipping found their way on the table and ended up to my right.

Then time to say goodbye to Ricks and head out. What's this? Some tractor beam has latched onto the truck, and it was PULLED into several gun stores. (I gave up fighting it after the first one). Where I bought a brand spanking new version of what I was treated to a shoot with this morning. A Ruger Mark III 512KM .22 LR with the 5 1/2 inch barrel and adjustable rear sight. Perfect for some inexpensive target shooting on the weekends. I'll play with it and do a range post next weekend.
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It's sunning itself on my deck right now while I finish this post.
Then, home alone, time to sit on the deck and just relax, build a fire in my little fire pit and be thankful for my friends and for the life I have, one of freedom and comfort, hard earned perhaps, but still a gift. I left a life of mountains and large coastal cities for a life in the heart of the land. Sitting here on the deck with Barkley I can look far away to corn fields coming down, the harvest upon us, full of promise and perhaps a bit of danger. It is not the mountains, the hills of stone and wood and ice that were my life for so long, but here is hope and abundance, the fluid need of love and the laughter of shared communion with friends strong and true. I am very grateful to be here.

Senate votes today -

"Gentlemen, I have had men watching you for a long time and I am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the breadstuffs of the country.

When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank.

You tell me that if I take the deposits from the bank and annul its charter, I shall ruin ten thousand families.

That may be true, gentlemen, but that is your sin!

Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin!

You are a den of vipers and thieves."

---- Andrew Jackson, 7th US President